Vapor-lamp.



A. H. s. SWAN.

VAPOR LAMP. APPLICATION FILED 113.22, 1910.`

Patented Nov. 14, 1912.

comms PLANOGHAPH co..w,\smNa1'uN, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H. S. SWAN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, `.l-tSSIGtNOl-t TO ROCHESTER STAMP] NG COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

VAPOR-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1910.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Serial N o. 550,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. S. SWAN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor- Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to vapor lamps and has for its object to provide one adapted particularly for burning the gas generated from alcohol or other similar oil, the parts of which are so arranged that volatilization of the oil may be had and an intense flame obtained which may be burned continuously.

My invention has for its further object to provide means whereby regulation of the height and intensity of the llame will be permitted, which consists generally in providing, in addition to the regulating valve, a vent or escape passage for allowing the exhaust or escape of the surplus gas which is unconsumed when the burner is adjusted for a moderate or low llame.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointedout in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical section of a vapor lamp illustrating one embodiment of my present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail viewof the regulating valve shown in the open position.

-Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The lamp illustrated for the purpose of showing the present embodiment of my invention comprises the base or fontV prefer ably made in the form of a sheet metal cup having the bottom 1 and side walls`2 within the upper edges of which is arranged the top or cover rigidly connected thereto by the seam or joint 3 at the edges. The top is depressed to form an annular overflow space l1 within which is located the filling aperture normally closed by the screw cap 5. The central elevatedi portion 6 of the cover provides an expansion chamber for the font and rising centrally therefrom is the neck 7, and at one side of the latter is located a short wick tube 8.

Attached to the bottom of the font in alinement with the neck 7 is a collar 9 pro vided with a vrolled screw thread and adapted to receive the correspondingly formed lower end of the wick tube 10, the latter and the collar 9 being both proviiled with apertures 15 permitting the alcohol or oil contained in the font to flow into `the interior of the wick tube. By securing the wick tube to the collar on the bottom of the font the tube may be slipped freely through the neck 7 and the narrow space between the latter and the tubewill form the vent from which any gas arising in the font riayl escape.

Thewick tube is closed at its upper end, as indicated at 16, and located a short distance below it is a gas collecting chamberl 17 preferably in the form of an annular ring composed of upper and lower pieces 18 `mol 19 jointed together as indicated at 20, `md permanently attached to the outer wall of the wick tube. The gas collecting chamber is in communication with the interior ofthe wick tube forming a reservoir for the gas generated therein. vided with a plurality of small perforations 21 forming gas jet orices which are arranged in proximity to the wall of the Wick tube, and are sufficient in number so that the gas jets impinging against the wal` of the tube will keep the latter at the required temperature to generate the desired quantity of gas required for the operation ofthe burner under various conditions.

The burner proper consists of an annular ring 22 of a diameter slightly in excess of that of the generating chamber, but :arranged concentrically therewith so that :ft is not directly above the orifices 21, thus not only allowing the llame to be distributed over a greater area but also permitting the heat from the jets 21 to be applied to a Vessel superposed over the burner. The ring 22 is supplied with gas from the generating chamber 17 by means of feed ipes 23 extending upwardly and outward y from :said chamber and preferably located at equidistant points around the wick tube so that equal quantities of gas will be distributed to all parts of the burner and permitting; the

This chamber is pro- 1 erated is restricted, to

numerous separate streams of gas issuing from the burner orifices 24 to be of equal volume and intensity.

Within the wick tube at one side thereofv I provide a longitudinally extending partition wall 25 which is separated from the proximate side of the tube to form a gas collecting space 30, said wall being connected to the tube only at its ends, thus providing around the edges of the wall free egress for the gas.

It frequently happens in the operation of a burner of this character that the operator will continue to burn the gas until the fluid in the font has become exhausted and in a short space of time thereafter the small quantity of oil then remaining in the wick will be evaporated and the latter then becoming dry will become charred by the heat remaining in the upper end of the wick tube 10. This seriously impairs the subsequent operation of the lamp and to obviate this diiiiculty I provide the upper end of the tube, for a considerable distance, with a porous, absorbent uninammable material, such as asbestos, indicated by 3l, which extends downwardly from the top of the tube toa point below the gas collecting chamber 17. The remainder of the tube is filled with wicking 32, the upper end of which is in intimate contact with the packing, permitting the latter to properly absorb the oil therefrom and carry it by capillary attraction into the upper end of the tube.

One ofthe greatest difficulties which has been experienced in connection with lamps of this character, especially when they are made small in size, is the inability to control or regulate the size of the burner flame. This has been due in part, at least, to the fact that when the outflow of the gas genreduce the intensity of the flame the surplus gas works its way downwardly in the wick tube and percolating through the oil in the font heats thev if alcohol is the fluid used, that it will soon begin tov latter, the result being that boil and the excess gas pressure thus produced may be the cause of serious damage. In order to obviate these ditliculties and provide a burner which may be made small in size and capable of adjustment, to enable a low llame, if such is desired, to be burned continuously, I provide in conjunction with a valve controlled passage, leading from the interior of the wick tube to the gas collecting chamber, a by-pass or exhaust passage discharging into the atmosphere. These two passages are arranged relatively to each other, both in respect to location and cross sectional area, so that a single valve mechanism may be employed for regulating them, and the outer end of the by-pass or exhaust passage is preferably located at a point somewhat remote from the burner to prevent the possibility of the vapor escaping therefrom becoming ignited from the exposed burner flames.

In the arrangement of the parts, which I have shown as illustrative of one embodiment of this feature of my invention, I have shown a valve casing 33 attached to the side of the wick tube beneath the gas generating chamber 17, and provided with the valve passage 34, forming a means of communication between said chamber and tube, and within this passage is located the valve seat 35. The valve head 36 has the inner end adapted to coperate with the valve seat, and at its outer end is the stem 37 provided with the adjusting knob or handle 38, and the screw-threads 39 coperating with the threads on the sleeve or collar 40 fitted within the outer end of the casing 33, and compressing therein the packing gland or washer 45. The valve stem 37 is provided with a longitudinally extending passage 46, the inner end of which leads into one or more transversely extending perforations 47 in the valve head. The latter is also provided with a lengthwise passage 48 having the end 49 leading into the annular space or lrecess 50 formed in the valve casing 33. The outer end of this chamber 50 forms a shoulder, as indicated at 51, which is arranged relatively to the transverse perforation 47, and in such position that the latter is in communication with the chamber 50 when the valve head is in engagement with the valve seat, as shown in Fig. l, but is adapted to act as a shutoff for the by-pass or exhaust passage when the valve head is moved outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. The diameter of the perforation or perforations 47 is such that during the rotation of the valve stem it will be gradually opened and closed as the valve head is advanced toward or retracted from its seat, thus permitting a proportional relationsh'p bet-Ween the by-pass or exhaust passage and the burner supply passage 34 to be always maintained.

In starting the generation of the gas in the first instance heat may be applied to the upper end of the wick tube, and for convenience in this operation, I employ an auxiliary wick 52, which depending into the font from the tube 8, may be employed as a pilot light. 'This wick being located in proximity to the wick tube l0 the heat from the flame arising therefrom will heat the upper end of the wick tube, and as it is also located beneath the generating chamber the latter will be heated. It is, of course, unnecessary that the pilot light should burn continuously and after t-he burner ame is ignited, the pilot light may be extinguished. For convenience in doing this and also to prevent the evaporation of alcohol from the end of the wick 52, I provide a cap or cover 53 for the latter, which is preferably supported upon an arm 54 journaled at 55, and provided with a small knob 56, by means of which it may be rotated. The rod 54 is provided with an offset 57, which causes the cap to be elevated and also moved laterally when the knob is revolved.

A vapor lam constructed in accordancey with my invention is simple in construction and comprises few parts which may be economically manufactured and assembled and the; lamp when in operation is eiiicient and sa e.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font, a wick tube having a wick therein and a hollow ring surrounding said tube having jet orifices, of a burner located above said ring provided with orifices, feed tubes extending from the ring to the burner and a valve controlling the passage of vapor from the tube to the ring.

2. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font, of a wick tube having a wick therein, and a gas collecting chamber communicating with the interior of the tube and having jet orifices arranged in proximity to the latter, feed tubes extending upwardly from said chamber and an annular burner supported on said tubes.

3. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font, a wick tube having a wick therein and a gas collecting chamber surrounding the tube beneath its upper end and communicating with the interior of the tube and having jet orifices located in proximity to said tube, of feed tubes extending upwardly and outwardly from the chamber and a hollow burner rin communicating with and supported by said tubes and provided with jet orifices.

4:. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font, a cylindrical wick tube rising therefrom having a wick, a narrow partition extending longitudinally of the tube at one side thereof and bearing against said wick to forni a gas collecting space between it and the side of the tube, of a hollow ring surrounding the tube and communicating` 50 with the space therein and provided with jet orifices, a plurality of feed tubes extending upwardly from the ring and a burner supported on the tubes.

5. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font, a cylindrical wick tube rising therefrom, a packing of absorbing uninlammable material in the upper end of the tube extending downwardly therein for a portion of its length, a wick located in the lower endk of the tube engaging said material and a narrow longitudinal y extending partition located at one side of the tube and separating the packing and wicking from oneside thereof, of a gas collecting chamber surrounding the tube having )et orifices communicating with the space between tle partition and the wall of the tube, feed tubl :s leading upwardly from the chamber and `located at equidistant points around the tul re and an annular burner provided with jet orifices and communicating with said tube s.

6. The combination with a vapor burner, a gas generator, and a valve casing havii g a passage connecting the burner and ge: 1- erator and provided with a recess, of a val1 Te head controlling said passage having no: 1- communicating passages both opening inao the valve casing, one of which communicates with the generator and the other with tie atmosphere, said recess being adapted to open communication between the passages in the valve head when said head is move inwardly toward its seat. v

7. The combination with a vapor burner, of a generator for supplying gas there zo, and means for controlling said supply co: nprising a valve casing having a passage lea ding from the generator to the burner p1'o-. vided with a valve seat therein and also h2 `ving an internal recess, a valve head having an exhaust passage composed of two noncommunicating parts cooperating with the recess and serving to open communication from the first mentioned passage through said recess to the atmosphere, said va ,ve head coperating with the valve seat to regulate the flow o gas to the burner and also cooperating with the recess so that the re; gulation of the flow of gas through the first mentioned passage in greater or less quantities will cause a corresponding closing or opening of the exhaust passage.

8. The combination with a vapor burner, of a generator, and means for controlling the flow of gas from the generator to the bur Lier and permitting gas generated in excess of that consumed by the burner to be exhausted into the atmosphere, comprising a valve (iasing having a passage connecting the generator and burner and provided with a vz lve seat and a recess arranged in rear of the s iat, a valve head coperating with said seat and having an exhaust passage composed of inner and outer non-communicating portions, the former leading from the passage between the generator and the burner to the recess in the valve casing and the latter portion extending to a point remote f1 vom the burner and adapted to communicate with the recess when the valve is closed.

9. The combination with a vaporbui'ner and a gas generating chamber, of a valve casing having a burner outlet passage leading from the chamber to the burner, said casing being provided with an internal recess, and a valve head having pass ges adapted to coperate with the recess to form an exhaust outlet from the generating ch amand ber when the assage between the genera ting chamber an burner is closed or partly closed, said valve head being adjustable in the casing t0 close or partly close the burner outlet passage and simultaneously open or partly open the exhaust outlet.

l0. The combination with a vapor burner and a gas generating chamber, of a valve casing having a passage leading from the chamber to the burner and provided with a recess and a valve having two longitudinal passages opening into the recess, one of said longitudinal passages being closed by the casing when the valve is opened to allow free communication between the generating chamber and burner.

l1. The combination with a vapor burner and a gas generating chamber, of a valve casing having a passage forming communication between the chamber and burner, and. having a recess, a valve head in the casing and a valve stem attached thereto, said head and stem being provided with separate longitudinal passages opening laterally at their inner ends into the recess and means for adjusting the valve head longitudinally in the casing.

12. In a vapor lamp, the combination with a font comprlsing upwardly extending side walls, a cover plate thereon provided with an annular depression forming an overflow' well and having a central portion elevated above the bottom of the well constituting an expansion chamber, of a main wick tube projecting out of the font, its projecting end constituting a gas generating chamber, a burner thereon and a supplemental wick tube located on the elevated central portion of the cover in proximity to the main wick tube and so disposed that a Hame therefrom will heat said generating member.

ALFRED H. S. SWAN.

Witnesses:

L. S. FoULKEs, GEORGE W. RoBEsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. e 

